Mike Pouncey - Pro Football Rumors

East Notes: Mallett, Pouncey, Jets, Cowboys

August 8th, 2014 at 9:54am CST by Luke Adams

After Ryan Mallett’s preseason debut for the Patriots, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe thinks it’s time to stop pretending that any of the league’s 31 other teams will give up anything of value for New England’s backup signal-caller. As I wrote yesterday, the Pats seem to be showcasing Mallett this summer in the hopes of finding a trade partner, but Volin believes the 26-year-old is too much of an enigma to even warrant a fourth- or fifth-round pick in a deal.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:

It hasn’t been a great year for Mike Pouncey, who is expected to miss several weeks of the regular season with a hip injury and also was involved in the Dolphins‘ bullying scandal, but he may have finally caught a break — according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins center isn’t expected to face charges for an incident at his South Beach birthday party last month. However, his brother, Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey, is likely to be charged with misdemeanor battery, says Beasley.
There were no “competition-tilting developments” for Geno Smith or Michael Vick in the Jets’ first preseason game, but the fact that Vick led the team to its only touchdown drive indicates the free agent signee is continuing to push the incumbent QB, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.
Team executives around the NFL are upset after a TMZ video showed head of officiating Dean Blandino out for a night of partying with Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. La Canfora quotes several execs voicing concerns about possible preferential treatment, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that no formal complaints have been lodged with the league office about Blandino’s and Jones’ night out.

AFC Notes: Pouncey, Bengals, McCourty

July 23rd, 2014 at 12:56pm CST by Luke Adams

While Mike Pouncey‘s initial recovery timetable from hip surgery suggested he’d miss the first month of the season, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports that the veteran center may not return for a few more weeks after that. According to Salguero, Pouncey’s rehab could extend into late October, meaning he’d miss nearly half the regular season.

Meanwhile, extension talks between Pouncey and the Dolphins have been put on hold for now, says Salugero (via Twitter). Besides the fact that Pouncey, who turns 25 tomorrow, isn’t healthy, it’s still a little early to make serious progress on a new contract, considering the team has exercised its fifth-year option for 2015. So far, no 2011 first-rounders have signed extensions, since their teams still have most of the leverage.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

For years, Bengals owner Mike Brown has served as the team’s de facto general manager, but speaking to reporters – including Joe Danneman of Fox19 – Brown said yesterday that his daughter Katie Blackburn and head coach Marvin Lewis are now running the franchise (Twitter link). As Paul Dehner of the Cincinnati Enquirer details, Brown still has the final say on personnel decisions, but typically follows the lead of Blackburn and Lewis.
A report in early June suggested extension talks between the Patriots and safety Devin McCourty had gotten underway, but according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (via Twitter), there have been no new talks since that initial dialogue. Regardless, McCourty isn’t phased by heading into the regular season on an expiring deal.
Focusing on how contract situations may affect players’ roster security, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe breaks down the Patriots who may be on the hot seat as roster cuts approach.
Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star consults cap expert Joel Corry to determine whether or not the Chiefs will be able to lock up both Jamaal Charles and Justin Houston to new long-term contracts. The answer: Yes, though the team will have to be careful about how it spreads out the money on the cap.

AFC Notes: Pouncey, Rubin, Broncos, Colts

July 15th, 2014 at 4:16pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been a tumultuous year for Dolphins center Mike Pouncey, who recently underwent hip surgery that will sideline him for the start of the 2014 season and was accused of assault following his birthday party in South Florida. However, it appears one piece of good fortune is coming Pouncey’s way — according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, it seems unlikely that the center will face any discipline from the NFL over his alleged involvement in last year’s bullying scandal.

“Never say never,” said NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, when asked if the league expected to have any updates on Pouncey’s status. “But I don’t anticipate having to address the issue again.”

Of course, on the heels of that story, Beasley had more details on the recent incident at Pouncey’s birthday, reporting that the purported victim intends to sue Pouncey and his brother Maurkice Pouncey for their alleged role in the physical altercation at Cameo nightclub. As we wait to see what comes of the suit, here’s more from around the AFC:

Ahtyba Rubin‘s long-term future with the Browns is uncertain, but he didn’t become a cap casualty this offseason as had been speculated, and hopes to eventually finish his career with the club, writes Tom Reed of the Northeast Ohio Media Group.
Jon Heath of the Mile High Report spoke to former agent Joel Corry about what sort of contract Broncos tight end Julius Thomas might be looking for in extension talks. The figures and points of comparison suggested by Corry were similar to the ones I put forward when I explored Thomas’ case for an extension earlier this month.
Kevin Bowen of Colts.com poses some burning questions facing the Colts‘ pass catchers at wide receiver and tight end heading into training camp.
Speaking to Neil Reynolds of Sky Sports (hat tip to NFL.com), Dolphins wideout Mike Wallace suggested he may get a chance to return kicks for the club this year. Wallace, whose cap hit is the largest on Miami’s roster in 2014, is entering the second season of the five-year pact he signed with the team in 2013.

Pouncey Brothers Accused Of Assault

July 13th, 2014 at 1:30pm CST by Rory Parks

Miami Beach police are investigating a South Florida man’s claim that he was assaulted by Maurkice Pouncey and Mike Pouncey, writes Omar Kelly of The Sun Sentinel. The assault allegedly occurred a little after 4am on Saturday morning at the Cameo nightclub, where the twin brothers were celebrating their annual birthday party. The alleged victim, Ricky Vazquez, took to Twitter to report the assault. Vasquez claims he was jumped by the Pouncey twins and by four of the club’s bouncers.

Although the police are of course obligated to investigate Vasquez’s allegations, the circumstances surrounding the incident are murky at best and it is far too soon to condemn either brother at this point. However, while publicity of this ilk is unwelcome for any NFL player, it is especially troublesome for the Pouncey brothers. During their birthday party at the Cameo nightclub last year, the Pouncey’s were spotted wearing “Free Hernandez” hats in support of former college teammate Aaron Hernandez, who has since been charged with the murders of three different men. Mike Pouncey was later called to give testimony concerning his relationship with Hernandez before a grand jury.

That is not to mention Mike Pouncey’s involvement in the highly-publicized bullying scandal that consumed the Dolphins’ locker room last season. He was one of three Miami players said to have been involved in the harassment of former Dolphin Jonathan Martin, who left the team last October.

Perhaps the investigation into the latest incident involving the Pounceys will absolve them of any wrongdoing, but the Dolphins and Steelers will surely hold their breath when the brothers celebrate their birthday next July.

Dolphins Links: Tannehill, Pouncey, Ellerbe

July 2nd, 2014 at 10:35pm CST by Rob DiRe

Ryan Tannehill is the 23rd ranked quarterback in the popular piece by Mike Sando of ESPN.com (subscription required) where a group of anonymous league insiders divided the league’s quarterbacks into tiers. That ranking put him near the bottom of the third tier of NFL signal callers. Tannehill needs to find a way to lead this Dolphin team to a winning season, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. Otherwise, his career in Miami might be shorter than expected.

Here are some other notes about the Dolphins:

The Dolphins have a number of questions to be answered on offense in 2014 if they want to make a run at the playoffs, writes Ross Devonport of Fox Sports Florida. Devonport wonders if the re-tooled offensive line can keep Tannehill upright, if new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor can lead a more explosive unit, and if Knowshon Moreno will be able to contribute at a similar level as he did with the Broncos last season.
A SportsNation Poll on ESPN.com asked how the Dolphins will fare without star center Mike Pouncey if he misses between two and six games to start the season while recovering from hip surgery. Walker reveals the results, showing an optimistic fan base that believe the team can go 2-2 or 3-1 in his absence.
The team has moved Dannell Ellerbe from inside linebacker to outside linebacker this offseason, and the position change could bring out more playmaking from Ellerbe, writes Walker. However, the linebackers have underachieved recently, which is a cause for concern.
Some notable names could be left off the Dolphins 53-man roster, writes Thomas Galicia of Bleacher Report. Receivers Armon Binns and Damian Williams landed on his list of the last five players off the roster, while receiver Rishard Matthews and running back Marcus Thigpen were among those who squeezed into the last five spots on the roster.

Monday Roundup: Graham, Taylor, Dolphins

June 30th, 2014 at 10:02pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at some links from around the league on this Monday evening:

Arbitrator Stephen Burbank will issue his decision on Saints tight end Jimmy Graham‘s franchise tag grievance on Thursday, according to Adam Schefter and Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.
Steelers‘ cornerback Ike Taylor, who agreed to reduce his 2014 salary from $7MM to $2.5MM in March, and who seemed at peace when speaking with reporters about his decision just a month ago–he simply said “my [new] salary is a lot of money”–has apparently had a change of heart. As Mark Kaboly of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes, Taylor recently appeared on The Jim Rome Show and stated, “Did it hurt me? Hell yeah. Does it still hurt? Yeah, it hurts, but hopefully I can go in and bounce back this year, do what I need to do on the field and we will see what happens after.” Of course, there is nothing Taylor can do about it now, and both he and the Steelers are hoping for a bounce-back year in 2014.
ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweets a couple of options for the Eagles as they make to shuffle their offensive line in the wake of the Lane Johnson suspension.
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com continues his Best Contract/Worst Contract series with the Falcons. He explains why the team’s best contract is with wideout Roddy White, and the worst is with LT Sam Baker.
Dr. David Chao, whose piece for the National Football Post we referenced earlier today with regards to the dangers associated with playing football on dirt–as they do in the Oakland Coliseum–also passed along a couple of Dolphins injury notes. Chao confirms that running back Knowshon Moreno has had his knee scoped and should return in time for the majority of training camp, but he expects center Mike Pouncey to wind up on the PUP list, requiring him to miss at least the first six weeks of the season.

Free Agent Notes: Roby, Nwaneri, Colledge

June 27th, 2014 at 4:22pm CST by Ben Levine

Here are a handful of free agent notes from around the NFL. We’ll continue to update this post throughout the night as more news rolls in…

The Falcons have signed veteran wide receiver Courtney Roby, reports Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo (via Twitter). The 31-year-old’s best season came as a rookie in 2005, when he caught 21 passes for 289 yards with the Titans. Roby appeared in 57 games with Saints from 2009-2012, where he returned 75 kicks for 1,939 yards and served as the team’s special team’s captain.
The Cowboys have officially announced the signing of veteran guard Uche Nwaneri, who was reported to be heading to Dallas earlier this week. To make room on the roster, the team placed guard Tyronne Green on the reserved/injured list.
Offensive lineman Daryn Colledge is planning on visiting the Dolphins, reports Jason Cole of the National Football Post (via Twitter). The team is seeking a center after losing starter Mike Pouncey, who underwent hip surgery earlier this week. Colledge, a former second-round pick, spent five years with the Packers prior to joining the Cardinals.

Dolphins Notes: Pouncey, Moreno, Finley

June 23rd, 2014 at 4:40pm CST by Luke Adams

The Dolphins’ offensive line, which underwent a massive overhaul following last year’s bullying scandal and general poor performance, took another hit today, and are now expected to open the 2014 season with five new starters along the line. Here’s the latest on that story, as well as a few more Dolphins-related notes:

Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey underwent hip surgery today and is expected to be sidelined for about three months, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. As Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports clarifies (via Twitter), the procedure was a labrum repair, and figures to keep Pouncey out for the early part of the regular season. The standout center had also been a candidate to sign a contract extension this summer, but perhaps now the two sides will wait for him to get healthy — there’s no real rush, since the Dolphins exercised their 2015 team option on Pouncey earlier this spring.
Pouncey isn’t the only Dolphin to undergo a surgical procedure this week. Schefter also reports within the same story that running back Knowshon Moreno, who signed with the club in March, will have arthroscopic surgery performed on his knee and will miss four or five weeks.
Third-round offensive lineman Billy Turner is one of just five draftees who has yet to sign his rookie contract, but the unresolved issues aren’t significant, and the signing should become official by mid-July, says Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Within Jackson’s piece, the Herald scribe also notes that the Dolphins were among the teams to inquire on Jermichael Finley, though it sounds like the club hasn’t seriously pursued the free agent tight end.
Former LSU defensive tackle Anthony Johnson, who will head to training camp with the Dolphins, has switched agencies from ProSource Sports to Rosenhaus Sports, tweets Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal.

AFC East Notes: Bills, Pouncey, Pats, Jets

June 12th, 2014 at 10:15am CST by Luke Adams

Another potential suitor for the Bills has entered the mix, according to Tim Graham of the Buffalo News, who reports that C. Dean Metropoulos, the owner of the Pabst Brewing Company, has interest in owning the franchise. After finishing as a runner-up to Shad Khan for the Jaguars three years ago, Metropoulos and his family have “a continued interest in acquiring an NFL franchise and [expect] to review any such opportunity,” a spokesman told Graham.

Here’s more on the Bills’ sale and some other items from around the AFC East:

Graham also has an update on another possible buyer for the Bills, writing for the Buffalo News that Terry Pegula, owner of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, recently sold 75,000 acres of Utica and Marcellus Shale leases in West Virginia and Ohio for $1.75 billion. While it’s still not clear how much – if any – interest Pegula has in buying the Bills, the recent sales by his East Resources Inc. and another undisclosed company will make him a “much more formidable bidder” if he decides to enter the mix.
As both Joel Corry of CBSSports.com and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald observe (via Twitter), Dolphins center Mike Pouncey shares an agent with his brother, so matching or topping Maurkice Pouncey‘s extension figures to be a goal for Mike when the time comes.
After waiving R.J. Mattes yesterday to clear a roster spot, the Patriots have signed wide receiver Jeremy Johnson, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Johnson, who went undrafted out of SMU, participated in the Ravens’ rookie minicamp last month.
Within a roundup of Jets notes, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes that head coach Rex Ryan initially wasn’t sold on drafting Maryland cornerback Dexter McDougle, but that others in the organization – such as defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman – eased his concerns. McDougle is the only one of 12 Jets draftees who remains unsigned.
Jets wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal tells Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News he believes it’s still too early to conclude that former second-round wideout Stephen Hill is a bust. “I have a hard time labeling a guy a bust when he’s done everything in his power,” Lal said. “Luck in terms of injuries hasn’t been on his side. Therefore, he hasn’t produced consistently. And he’s still only 23 years old.”

AFC East Notes: Pouncey, Easley, Bills

May 27th, 2014 at 4:58pm CST by Luke Adams

So far today, we’ve passed along word that Bills CEO Russ Brandon says Buffalo’s uncertain ownership situation isn’t affecting the team’s football decisions, and made note of a few minor signings made by the Patriots and Dolphins. Here’s more out of the AFC East:

Unlike Richie Incognito and John Jerry, who were named in the Ted Wells bullying report along with him, center Mike Pouncey is getting a second chance with the Dolphins. Whether that’s because of his contract situation, his talent, his lesser role in the scandal, or a combination of all three, Pouncey hopes to make the most of the opportunity and prove that he can be a franchise cornerstone, as James Walker of ESPN.com details. “I would hope that anybody else wouldn’t doubt that,” Pouncey said of his leadership. “The work ethic I put in, the way these guys on this football team look at me, they all know I’m the leader they want me to be. So my main focus is to be the best leader I can be.”
First-round defensive tackle Dominique Easley and the Patriots were closing in on a contract last week, but talks have hit a snag, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Although most draftees come to terms pretty quickly, discussions are a little more extensive for first-round picks, who have to negotiate offset language and guaranteed money. Easley is also coming off an ACL tear, which may complicate talks.
Billionaire developer Donald Trump is maintaining his interest in making a bid for the Bills, suggesting today that he expects to be involved in the sale process. “We are going to put in a bid,” Trump said, according to Jerry Zremski of the Buffalo News. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in Buffalo. If the price isn’t the right price, then I won’t get it, and I won’t be ashamed of it … But if I get it, I think I’ll probably do a good job.”